President praises CCC’s commitment to the Philippines
Added to website: 21 November 2006
Coral Cay Conservation (CCC) has been congratulated for its conservation work in the Philippines, by President of the Philippines Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
CCC’s presence in the Philippines stemmed from an invitation from the local government and the Philippine Reef and Rainforest Conservation Foundation Inc (PRRCFI). Since 1995, CCC has worked in partnership with these, and local communities, to survey and safeguard reef and rainforest areas. Project locations have included Negros Occidental, Southern Leyte, Palawan, Luzon and the Polillo Islands.
In September this year, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s visited the UK and met with Pete Raines MBE, CCC’s Founder and CEO at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Knightsbridge, London (see image attached). The meeting was arranged by Peter Beckingham, British Ambassador Manila, Philippines.
In a recent letter, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo praised CCC’s “close work with local government officials and its outstanding work helping Filipinos upgrade their conservation expertise”. CCC’s current expedition is based on the western coast of Sogod Bay in Southern Leyte, where volunteers undertake a comprehensive assessment of coastal marine resources and increase local awareness of marine environmental issues.
Pete Raines commented: “It was a great honour to be invited to meet President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo during her recent visit to London. The meeting, which lasted 30 minutes, included discussions in a range of topics regarding Philippine environment and CCC’s collaboration with local partners in community-based coral reef and forest conservation. The President was extremely well informed of our work and congratulated this remarkably successful Philippine-British partnership and confirmed her continued support.”
This letter coincides with the new ‘green partnership’ established between Shangri-La Hotels and Coral Cay Conservation, which was facilitated by the British Embassy Manila. As well as projects in Southern Leyte and Negros, CCC studied the coral reef resources around two of Shangri-La’s properties in order to make recommendations necessary for protecting and preserving the beautiful reefs that border them.
Peter Beckingham, British Ambassador commented: “I am delighted that the President of the Philippines has recognised CCC’s contribution to her country, by meeting its founder in London during her recent visit. I have seen CCC’s work in Southern Leyte and Negros, and know that it is making a difference to environmental awareness in many local communities. I am confident the strong links with the Philippines will prosper”
CCC is a British-based not-for-profit, international award-winning organization, dedicated to providing resources to help sustain livelihoods and alleviate poverty through the protection, restoration and management of coral reefs and tropical rainforests.
For further information on Coral Cay Conservation please visit www.coralcay.org or contact Laura Timms (PR and Communications Manager) +Tel: 0207-874-5206 Email: lt@coralcay.org
For more information on the British Embassy Manila, please contact Oya Arriola (Press and Public Affairs Officer on tel: (63) (2) 5808332
